On This Day, August 31: Johnny Dollar and Lassie
Also featured: Sons of the Pioneers.
August 31 Update
This report documents the historical provenance, broadcast scheduling, commercial sponsorship, credited cast, production personnel, alternate circulating titles, serial story metadata, and pure narrative synopses for broadcasts transmitting on August 31 across hardboiled insurance investigations, serialized multi-part crime arcs, canine rescue adventures, and Western harmony transcriptions, Edmond O'Brien and Bob Bailey across four broadcasts of Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar (1950, 1956, 1958), Marvin Miller narrating The Lassie Show for Red Heart Dog Food (1947), and The Sons of the Pioneers on 10-2-4 Time for Dr. Pepper (1942–1958):
1. Broadcasts
| Title | Network, Airdate & Showtime | Sponsor & Commercial Ads | Credited Cast & Performers | Director, Writers & Crew | Genres & Serial Arc | Story Synopsis |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| "The Lost Boy at Timberline with Marvin Miller" | ABC Network 1947-08-31 3:00 PM EDT |
John Morrell & Co. Red Heart Dog Food |
Pal (Lassie), Miller | Frank Ferrin (Director) | ["Drama", "Juvenile", "Adventure", "Lassie", "Red Heart"] |
Lassie guides mountain rescue scouts along treacherous rocky switchbacks to find an injured boy trapped on a mountain ledge. |
| "Dr. Pepper Country Swing with The Sons of the Pioneers" | Syndicated Trans. 1942-08-31 |
Dr. Pepper Co. 10-2-4 Energy Drink |
Sons of the Pioneers | Bob Nolan (Lead) | ["Country", "Western", "Music", "Sons of the Pioneers", "Dr Pepper"] |
The Sons of the Pioneers perform Western harmonies, yodeling solos, and cowboy ballads for Dr. Pepper bottling distributors. |
| "The Virginia Beach Matter with Edmond O'Brien" | CBS (WCBS) 1950-08-31 8:30 PM EDT |
Sustaining Insurance Mystery |
Edmond O'Brien, Gregg | E. Jack Neuman (Writer) | ["Detective", "Mystery", "Hardboiled", "Johnny Dollar", "Edmond O'Brien"] |
Johnny Dollar investigates a suspicious boating drowning off Virginia Beach and discovers a high-stakes life insurance substitution conspiracy. |
| "The Kranesburg Matter (Part 5) with Bob Bailey" | CBS (WCBS) 1956-08-31 8:05 PM EDT |
Sustaining Serial Mystery |
Bob Bailey, Gregg | Jack Johnstone (Director) | ["Detective", "Mystery", "Hardboiled", "Johnny Dollar", "Bob Bailey"]Arc: The Kranesburg Matter (Part 5 of 6) |
Johnny Dollar corners an elusive smuggler in a waterfront warehouse, uncovering counterfeit bonds and fraudulent transport manifests. |
| "The Kranesburg Matter (Part 6) with Bob Bailey" | CBS (WCBS) 1956-08-31 8:20 PM EDT |
Sustaining Serial Mystery |
Bob Bailey, Dobkin | Jack Johnstone (Director) | ["Detective", "Mystery", "Hardboiled", "Johnny Dollar", "Bob Bailey"]Arc: The Kranesburg Matter (Part 6 of 6) |
Johnny Dollar unmasks the criminal mastermind behind the Kranesburg ring and restores the insured diamonds before closing his expense account. |
| "The Limping Liability Matter with Bob Bailey" | CBS (WCBS) 1958-08-31 6:05 PM EDT |
Sustaining Insurance Mystery |
Bob Bailey, Thorson | Jack Johnstone (Director) | ["Detective", "Mystery", "Hardboiled", "Johnny Dollar", "Bob Bailey"] |
Johnny Dollar travels upstate to verify an industrial accident injury claim and exposes an elaborate staged-disability racket. |